LVPEI-Liberia: A Collaborative Transformation

The Liberia Eye Center in Monrovia marks 100,000 Outpatient Visits

In October this year, the L V Prasad Eye Institute-Liberia Eye Center (LVPEI-LEC), the heart of the Liberia Eye health initiative, celebrated a key milestone: we have now serviced 100,000 outpatient visits over 7 years of operations in Liberia, West Africa. Of these, 37% of services were offered at no cost, exemplifying our commitment to accessible, high-quality eye care for all. This milestone also includes 8,700 surgeries (50% performed at no cost), over 40,000 community screenings and more than 500 low vision and rehabilitation services offered.

Since its inception seven years ago, the initiative has evolved in to a comprehensive eye care system and a model for the delivery of universal eye health. It also reflects the dedication of the LVPEI LEC team who overcame numerous challenges with innovation and enthusiasm. In addition to education and training for the team at Liberia, regular visits from LVPEI faculty, administrators, and senior leadership also bolstered the Liberia team’s efforts.

Origin and growth

The LVPEI-Liberia Eye Center is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Liberia, the John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFKMC) in Monrovia, and the L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in India. This initiative began in 2013, inspired by a visit from the former President of Liberia, H.E. Dr. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, to LVPEI in Hyderabad, India. At her request, a team from LVPEI visited the national referral hospital of Liberia, the JFK Medical Center, to assess local eye care needs. This led to the development of the “Liberia Eye Health Initiative” with a focus on local capacity building. In these 7 years, LVPEI has initiated ophthalmology residency training and trained 4 ophthalmologists. In addition, several mid-level ophthalmic personnel were trained at LVPEI as well as locally. These groups benefit from LVPEI’s ongoing education programmes. These are deep investments into the future of high-quality ophthalmic care in West Africa.

One key element of the initiative was the establishment of a self-sustainable, modern, comprehensive eye care facility at the JFK Medical Center, offering tertiary-level care and serving as a national resource. On July 24, 2017, the LVPEI-Liberia Eye Center was inaugurated by President Sirleaf. The key partners who contributed towards its development were the Lions Clubs International Foundation, Operation Eyesight Universal, Indo-American Eye Care Society, the Latter-Day Saint Charities, and OneSight Essilor Luxottica Foundation.

The Center began with two full-time Indian comprehensive ophthalmologists and local support staff trained in India. Over time, sub-specialists in cornea, glaucoma, retina, and oculoplasty began to visit once a month from India. Additional programs were introduced, such as residency training, outreach services, school screening, training for vision technicians and ophthalmic nursing assistants. As our activities expanded, we collaborated with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Liberia, the Liberia College of Physicians and Surgeons, and EYElliance, USA.

The scale of the promise

Today, the Center has evolved into a state-of-art facility capable of treating all types of eye conditions ensuring that no patient needs to travel outside of Liberia for any of their eye care needs. Our services are accessible to all Liberians, regardless of their ability to pay. In fact, we see patients coming in from neighbouring countries like Sierra Leone, Guinea, The Gambia and even several Liberian-American diaspora, who choose to get their eye problems treated here at the LVPEI-LEC.

“I have had the privilege to lead this centre for 5 years and it has been an incredible journey. Vision loss is one of the many barriers holding the country back and we look forward to building on this success and reaching many more milestones in the future,” said Dr Niranjan Pehere, the Head of the LVPEI-Liberia Eye Center.

“LVPEI is committed to bringing high quality eye care to the people of Liberia and leave behind a sustainable eye care system for the country and the region,” said, Dr Gullapalli N Rao, the Founder Chair of LVPEI.